Sealing the ends of vessels against internal fluid pressure



H. WILLSHAW ETAL Filed Feb. 18. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 4, 1931.

SEALING THE suns 0F VESSELS AGAINST INTERNAL FLUID PRESSURE Aug. 4,1931. H. WILLSHAW ETAL SEALING THE ENDS OF VESSELS AGAINST INTERNALFLUID PRESSURE Filed Feb. 18. 1930 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 EMF/W M44 5714M ML75/? GEORGE Ga/EH/IM aw/xv Emi /55077002 33 time/1 a Q Aug. 4, 1931. H.WILLSHAW ETAL 1,316,883

SEALING THE ENDS OF VESSELS AGAINST INTERNAL FLUID PRESSURE Filed Feb.18. 1930 3 Sheets-$heet 3 mablim Pafented A u g. 4, 1931 om'rso STATES1,816,883 PATENT- OFFICE may wILLsnAw, or wI Dn GREEN, NEAR BIRMINGHAM,WALTER GEORGE eon.- RAM, or ERDINGTON, AND EDWIN BAMSBOTTOM, or HEYWOOD,ENGLAND, As-

sIoNons, BY DIREC1 AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, or ONE-HALF To DUNLOP RUBBERoourANY, LIMITED, or nnDINeToN, BIRMINGHAM, ENGL ND, A CORPORATION orGREAT BRITAIN, AND ONE-HALF To .1. MILLS & 00., LTD., A CORPORATION orGREAT BRITAIN sD LINo HE ENDS or VESSELS AeAINsT NTERNAL FLUID rnnesunnApplication fled February 18, 19b0, Serial No. 429,426, and in GreatBritain February, 18, 1929.

This invention concerns improvements in .or relatin tothe sealing of theends of boilers or flui containers and is particularly suitable forthose vessels having two or more 5 concentric shells between which afluid is t Y be retained without leakage. I

According to this invention in vessels which contain a fluid between twoconcentric shells and which have two rings of resilient .10 fluid-proofmaterial, adaptedto' form a fluid tight seal, we providea door rotatableto compress the resilient rings so as to form a fluid proof joint by theengagementof oneor of two concentric rows of spaced inclined l8 surfacesupon the door adapted to engage or disengage with correspondingpartsupon the vessel when the door is rotated.

The door may be supported by arms united centrally in an apertured bossformed to al- 20 low rotation or axial movement upon a shaft, and thedoor may be rotated by a pinion on the vessel engaging a rack segment onthe door and may have independently operable, locking means preventingrotation. 85 In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional v1ew ofpart of the door in contact with a vessel having concentric shells; I

. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the door; Fi 3 is an elevation to a largerscale showing 1; e supporting arms, the rotational mechanism, andlocking device, and

. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, the lower half be-'.

ing an outside viewand the upper a sectional A view. 7

Figs. and 6 are views showing an alternative modification.

Thedoor consists of an apertured disc or ring 1 the inner periphery ofwhich may be flanged at 2 or alternatively as shown by the dotted linesat 2a in Fig. 1', and whichis provided with spaced bearing surfaces 3attached to or formed upon the ring, 1, each of which contact withcomplementary surfaces 4 formed upon the peripheral members 5 and 8attached to the outer shell 6 by suitable means such as rivets 7 To theinner shell 9 is attached the periph- 50 eral member 8 which houses aring 10 of suit- .venient.

able material such as rubber in similar manner to the ring 16 housed inthe member 5.

The ring 1 is supported by four arms 17 preferably of I sectlon, thecentral .boss 13 bemg apertured to, receive a shaft to which it may bekeyed by the key slot 14 when it is required to rotate the door by meansof the shaft.

The arms 17 are secured to the ring 1 by studs or stud bolts and thedoor is made to seal the vessel by rotation in clockwisedirectionefiected by the segmental rack 11 and pinion 12 the rack 11being secured to the ring 1. The pinion 12 may be turned by inserting abar in thehole 18 or by power 65 means where necessary.

j In Fig. 3 the door is shown sealing the space between the shells andthe flanges 3 are 7 engaged beneath the complementary members 4:; Torelease the fluid seal the door is rotated anticlockwise by means of therack and pinion 11 and 12 when it may then be axially withdrawn fromthe, vessel or adapted to be swung away on hinges if more conv 76 'Forfurther security a locking device may be provided consisting of abracket 19 carryb e ing a shaft 20 rotata b a chain and pulley 21 toposition a key 21a a apted to lie between shoulders 22 formedon one ofthe supporting arms 17, so that rotation of the door is prevented untilthe locking device is positively operated. I I

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modification is shown which consists in providingadjustable positioning means for the members 5 and 8, whereby wear onthe parts may betaken up and the tightness of the seal be increased whennecessary.

For this purpose we provide screw members 23 and 24 threaded externallyto engage the members 5 and 8 respectively, having ends convenientlyformed'for rotation, and clamping nuts 25 and 26 for maintaining thecorrect engaging position of the members 24 and 23 with the members 5and 8 while the studs 27 are tightened up to clamp the parts together.The members 5 and 8 may be additionally stifi'ened by flanges 28.

Where required for s ecial purpose such as vulcanizing lengths 0 Stripor sheet material, the doors 1 may be formed with one or more brackets29 as shown in Fig. 1 adapted to support one or more members forming anapproximatel cylindrical surface 30, whlch maybe detac able or may besecured to the V brackets 29 by rivets 31 or other suitable means.

Various modifications may .be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A door for sealing vessels which contain a fluid between twoconcentric shells and which have two rings of resilient fluid-proofmaterial'adapted to form a fluid tight seal, in which the door isrotatable to compress the resilient rings so as to form a fluid-proofjoint by the engagement of one or of two concentric rows of spacedinclined surfaces upon the door adapted to engage or disengage withcorresponding parts upon the vessel when the door is rotated.

2. A door according to claim 1 comprising a ring having spaced inclinedfaces ada ted to contact with similar complementary aces upon the vesseland provided with arms uniting in a centrally apertured boss formed toallow rotation or axial movement upon a shaft.

3. A door according to claim 1 having a segmental rack adapted to beengaged by a pinion upon the vessel for securing or releasing the doorto the vessel.

4. A door according to claim 1 having independent locking meanspreventing the retation of the door.

5. A door according to claim 1 in which the ring contacting the fluidsealing parts is inwardly or outwardly flanged on its inner peripheiy.

6. A oor according to claim 1 in which the ring is provided with one ormore members carried thereon so as to be inserted or withdrawn from theconcentric shells of the vessel.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

HARRY WILLSHAW. WALTER GEORGE GORHAM.

EDWIN RAMSBOTTOM.

